“Life is like a coffee, if you don’t take time to enjoy it, all you’ll taste is the bitterness.”
That line speaks to my heart. It’s from the movie I watched with the whole family yesterday, titled “Keluarga Super Irit”, which translates to “Super Frugal Family” in English. The movie stars are an Indonesian Actor Family (they are a real family in real life), Dwi Sasono’s family. We enjoyed the movie a lot! It was a great movie, coming from the great actors. There are so many lessons we can take from that movie, especially those lines. As a coffee lover, I totally relate! The first time I sipped a coffee from my parents’ cup, I was like, “What’s the fuss?” All I tasted was bitterness. But when I had already become an adult and gave it another shot, I saw it differently. A coffee indeed is a whole experience when you take the time to savor it sip by sip. It’s delicious, chill, refreshing, and super comforting. Honestly, it’s kind of addictive! I wouldn’t say I can’t make it through a day without coffee, but it definitely feels like something’s missing when I skip it.
Life, like coffee, has both bitter and sweet notes. Coffee is naturally bitter, right? But for many (me, included!) It’s also comforting, energizing, and even a little luxurious. Why? Because we’ve learned to enjoy its complexity. The bitterness adds depth to its flavor, just as life struggles contribute to our experiences. Life isn’t always perfectly smooth or endlessly sweet; it includes hardships and joyful moments, like the warmth or the deliciousness we might add in a cup of coffee – sugar, milk, or simply the aroma. If we expect life to be easy, tough times can feel overwhelming. But by accepting the “bitterness” as part of life, we recognize that joy and struggle create a richer experience. Just as we don’t throw it away just because it’s bitter, we learn to embrace life’s challenges, pairing them with gratitude, connection, reflection, or simply just slowing down. Bitterness isn’t a problem; it enriches our experience. The key is to ensure it doesn’t overshadow our enjoyment of life.
We can’t always control what life gives us, but we can control how we experience it. Just like a cup of coffee. We don’t know whether the barista prepared it the same like the last time we enjoyed it. Sometimes it might feel different. Different barista, different taste. But I don’t let it make me disappointed or what, if I find it not the same, I will probably ask the barista to add something that will elevate the taste, it can be an extra shot or milk, or maybe just enjoy it. Choosing to notice the small joys, not to focus just on the coffee. A quiet morning, a kind companion, and a nice conversation will help us balance out the unpleasant parts. In other words, enjoyment is a mindset, not just a moment. A lot of people believe they’ll enjoy life once everything is perfect, when they have more money, less stress, better health, a dream job, or a better relationship. But life rarely offers perfect conditions all at once. So if we wait for everything to align before allowing ourselves to feel joy, peace, or satisfaction, we might wait….forever.
You know that coffee tastes more delicious when we sip it slowly, right? It’s different from gulping a glass of cold water on a hot day, which feels refreshing in one go. Just like coffee, life should be sipped, not chugged. Coffee is meant to be enjoyed slowly, one sip at a time. When we do, we can appreciate the warmth, the richness, the aftertaste. The same goes for life. If we rush around, multitasking, or focusing on what’s next, we will miss the small moments where life actually happens. You might wander, what’s the big deal if we’re choosing not to slow down? Well, honestly, from my viewpoint, it matters. Slowing down helps us notice life’s little joys: a child’s laughter, a bird singing, Oh, and the lovely smell of the rain! (God knows how much I love it!). It allows space for reflection: what we’re truly feeling, why we’re reacting, and what we really want. The present moment is where joy, peace, and meaning actually exist. Just as savoring coffee deepens our experience, being present in our own lives helps us find meaning in the ordinary. If we’re always in a hurry or worrying, life slips by, leaving only bitterness. We often believe fulfillment comes from big achievements, but most of life is made up of small, ordinary moments. We can’t truly experience those unless we slow down enough to see and feel them. “We waste so many days waiting for the weekend, for vacation, for later. Life is happening now. Sip it slowly.”
Yes indeed, life is not always delicious, sweet, and easy; sometimes the bitter hits us hard! Give us challenges and difficulties in life. But that’s what life is for: to teach us to become better people day by day. Just like my youngest son (8 years old) suddenly told us in a car when we’re on the way home after we’ve watched: “I like that movie, it teaches me that life is hard, not easy.”
Love,
Kirana
